Gangwon Winter Youth Olympics

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has selected "Gangwon 2024 Role Model Athletes" ahead of the 2024 Gangwon Winter Youth Olympics (hereinafter referred to as Gangwon 2024) to be held in Gangwon State in January next year.

"A total of 11 domestic and foreign athletes, including Won Yoon-jong (bobsleigh), Kim Chang-min (curling), and Min Yu-ra (figure skating), were selected as role models for Gangwon 2024," the IOC said on the 19th.

They will participate in the stadiums, training grounds, educational activities and workshops where the competition will be held and share their Olympic experience, training methods, and practical know-how.

The "Role Model Athlete Program," which was first launched at the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics in Singapore, will help top adult athletes selected by the IOC become mentors to youth athletes to form correct values and improve sports performance. 스포츠토토

Won Yoon-jong said, "I am very happy and honored to be selected as a role model for Gangwon 2024," adding, "I want to meet young athletes as soon as possible and share my experiences in the Olympics."

He added, "As an Olympic national team member, I was able to learn a lot in the process of developing teams and individuals, and if this experience and knowledge are delivered to young athletes, I think it will have a good impact on their growth."

"When young athletes first participate in the Olympics, they often get embarrassed because they don't know what to do or what to talk to," Min Yu-ra said. "It will be a special experience to learn a lot just by playing at the Olympic Games in your country."

Meanwhile, Japan's Nao Godaira, who competed beautifully with Gangwon 2024 co-organizing committee chairman Lee Sang-hwa in speed skating at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, and cross-country Kim Magnus, who was born to a Norwegian father and a Korean mother and played for the Korean national team during the Pyeongchang Olympics, were also on the list.

They are expected to engage in various activities during the tournament along with other role models to be announced at the end of November.

The 2024 Gangwon Winter Youth Olympics, which will be held in Gangwon State from Jan. 19 to Feb. 1 next year, is Asia's first Winter Youth Olympics to inherit the facilities and heritage of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics.

It is characterized by sports games that enhance the healthy body and spirit of challenge for athletes aged 15 to 18, as well as various cultural and educational programs that expand the experiences of teenagers in each country. It will consist of a total of seven events, 15 events, and 81 detailed events, and 1,900 athletes from more than 80 countries will participate.